Mr Laurence Newman

Training & Background

Mr Laurence Newman LLM FRCS is a Consultant Maxillofacial and Head and Neck Surgeon with extensive experience in both clinical practice and medicolegal work. After more than 25 years as a consultant surgeon within the NHS, he retired from clinical practice in April 2024 and now focuses exclusively on medicolegal work. He remains a registered medical practitioner on the General Medical Council specialist register with a licence to practise.

Mr Newman qualified in dentistry at The London Hospital Dental Institute, University of London, in 1981. He later returned to The London Hospital Medical College to study medicine, qualifying in 1990. This dual qualification forms the foundation of specialist training in oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Consultant appointments followed at leading specialist centres. From 1997 to 2008 Mr Newman worked at both University College London Hospitals and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. In 2008 he was appointed Consultant Maxillofacial and Head and Neck Surgeon at The Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, where he practised until his retirement in 2024.

During his clinical career he played a leading role in the management of complex head and neck conditions, including cancer surgery. He also chaired the West Kent Head and Neck Cancer Multidisciplinary Team from 2016 to 2024, working closely with colleagues across surgical, oncological and allied specialties to deliver coordinated patient care.

Alongside his clinical responsibilities, Mr Newman developed a longstanding interest in the legal aspects of medical practice. He obtained a Master of Laws (LLM) from Cardiff University in 2010 and has prepared medicolegal reports since 1997. He now produces approximately 180 reports each year in cases relating to personal injury and clinical negligence, acting for both claimants and defendants, and has appeared as an expert witness in Civil and Coronial Courts.

His work combines detailed clinical knowledge with a clear and balanced approach to expert reporting. Mr Newman continues to attend specialist surgical and medicolegal meetings in order to maintain his professional knowledge and competencies.

Research & Teaching

Mr Newman has made significant contributions to surgical education, training and national clinical standards in oral and maxillofacial surgery. He served as an examiner for the Intercollegiate FRCS in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery for twenty years, from 2004 to 2024, and was Chairman of the Examinations Board in Maxillofacial Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons from 2010 to 2013.

He has also contributed to national clinical guidance through his work with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). This included membership of the guideline committee responsible for developing recommendations on the assessment and management of cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract, as well as roles on the NICE Quality Standards Advisory Committee and as an Expert Adviser to the Centre for Clinical Practice.

Mr Newman has lectured on medicolegal issues in maxillofacial surgery at national conferences and specialist meetings, including events organised by AvMA, APIL and the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. His continued involvement in professional education reflects his longstanding commitment to maintaining high standards within the specialty.